Switching pension plan - where can I read up on asset allocation?

mr_fishbulb

I currently have a Standard Life Group Stakeholder pension. Contributions made by myself and my employer. I am unhappy about the small choice of funds and have the option to move to the Standard Life Group Flexible Retirement Plan. I'm 29 and have been contributing for 2 years.

The Standard Life "opportunity" portfolio suggests:

UK Equity 45%
European Equity 10%
North American Equity 30%
Far East Equity 5%
Bonds 0%
Property 10%
Money market instruments (including cash) 0%
Specialist 0%
Overseas Equity 0%

I'm not too keen on that. Where can I go to research ideas for a good split? Thanks

EdInvestor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asset_allocation

bendix

mr_fishbulb wrote: »

I currently have a Standard Life Group Stakeholder pension. Contributions made by myself and my employer. I am unhappy about the small choice of funds and have the option to move to the Standard Life Group Flexible Retirement Plan. I'm 29 and have been contributing for 2 years.

The Standard Life "opportunity" portfolio suggests:

UK Equity 45%
European Equity 10%
North American Equity 30%
Far East Equity 5%
Bonds 0%
Property 10%
Money market instruments (including cash) 0%
Specialist 0%
Overseas Equity 0%

I'm not too keen on that. Where can I go to research ideas for a good split? Thanks

Why are you not keen on it? For a 29 year old it seems a pretty normal split to me. I personally would be tempted to reduce the overall equity exposure to 80%, get rid of the property and replace it with bonds at 10% and maybe go 10% into gold or oil. I'd also boost the Far East equity to around 10%, probably at the expense of the UK or US exposure.

mr_fishbulb

bendix wrote: »

Why are you not keen on it? For a 29 year old it seems a pretty normal split to me. I personally would be tempted to reduce the overall equity exposure to 80%, get rid of the property and replace it with bonds at 10% and maybe go 10% into gold or oil. I'd also boost the Far East equity to around 10%, probably at the expense of the UK or US exposure.

Wasn't keen on 0% bonds.
I'd probably want to keep some property (buy when it's cheap).
Wanted some emerging markets (BIC - preferably not R)

Specifics like gold/oil will probably need to go in my ISA because even through the Flexible Pension Plan has a lot more funds then the Stakeholder, it doesn't have that sort of focused ones.